Metered into well water
A new product and simple application for adding hydrogen peroxide to livestock drinking water has been developed by Essential Water Solutions Inc. of Story City, Iowa. Hydrogen peroxide is commonly called ‘peroxide.’ It is often used as a disinfectant and also treatment of wounds of livestock, but the treatment of water for livestock is an interesting application. Peroxide at low concentrations will control iron slime, algae, and help control iron and manganese with proper filtration. The name of the proprietary product for livestock water treatment is Oxy Blast.
Oxy Blast breaks down into water and oxygen. The oxidization of organic material produces the desired effect. Oxy Blast water applications
Joe Knopp of O’Neil, Nebraska, a representative of the product suggests: “One of the reasons for treating water is to prevent the spread of diseases from animal to animal from the drinking water. Another use is the control of algae in non-continuous flow water tanks.” The application, according to Knopp, is a level of 50 parts per million (ppm) of Oxy Blast. The level may be increased for treatment to 125-150 ppm. One of the interesting applications is the treatment of high iron water to prevent the staining of buildings and porcelain fixtures. A simple set-up is a feature
The system provides a metering pump and a wiring harness that makes the set-up simple to install. The Oxy Blast is added either at the well or at the pressure tank. The cost of the treatment is $1.20 per 1000 gallons of water at 25 ppm or less, depending on the volume purchased. A water well drilling and service company in Iowa has been using the setup successfully for livestock operations for several years. Feedlots and stock farms need to check with their local water well service providers regarding the rules for application in their area.
The low level of application plus the ease of the set up makes the idea practical and economically feasible for consideration by some feedlots. Supplied in heavy plastic barrels
Oxy Blast, explains Randy Navratil, president of Essential Water Solutions, Inc., contains a proprietary formula and is shipped in high concentrations in heavy plastic barrels. The concentration of either 34% or 50% peroxide is much higher than the 3% amount in household peroxide.
Safety concerns of the handling of any peroxide products are stressed by Knopp and Navratil. The pump is fed by a simple plastic tube directly from the bung of the barrels, making for safety and simplicity when changing the barrels. Feedlot experience
Ottawa County Feeders at Minneapolis, Kansas has installed a system. Their reason for the installation, according to Perry Owen, feedlot manager, was the water’s iron content and potential animal health benefits for their livestock. Owen explained, “The iron staining of the water has been solved, plus the scum of the livestock water tanks has been eliminated. Wash basins and lavatories in the office are no longer stained.” Sprague’s comments
Oxy Blast use in feedlots is an attempt to control the transfer of diseases from animal to animal in the water tank. A feedlot may wish to treat only the water provided for receiving pens and hospital pens.
The use of peroxide treated water, like many products in our industry, is not proven by controlled research. However, this simple idea is already in use by feedlots, dairy producers, and hog farms and needs to be evaluated by cattle producers.
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